February 23, 2009

The Baker-Nord Center/Cleveland Foundation Lecture Series presents Mohsin Hamid, 2008 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award® recipient for his novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist, who will give a free public lecture entitled "Literature, Pakistan, Islam and 'The West'" at 6 p.m., Tuesday, February 24, at the Idea Center™ at PlayhouseSquare.

The lecture will also be streamed live and can be viewed for free on campus in Clark Hall, Room 206. Tickets are not required to attend this broadcast.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist tells the story of a successful Pakistani immigrant's love affair and eventual disillusionment with the American Dream. The author will speak on literature, politics and spirituality; and his experiences living in Pakistan, the U.S. and Britain. Hamid will also address the current issues in Pakistan, the role of literature, the creative potential of the novel and his hopes for the U.S. under the administration of President Barrack Obama. A brief question and answer session will follow the lecture.

In addition to the Case Western Reserve site, the lecture can also be viewed via streaming video from two other locations:

Case Western Reserve University is committed to the free exchange of ideas, reasoned debate and intellectual dialogue. Speakers and scholars with a diversity of opinions and perspectives are invited to the campus to provide the community with important points of view, some of which may be deemed controversial. The views and opinions of those invited to speak on the campus do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration or any other segment of the university community.